PLOW & HOSE ORGANIC GARDENING IN CENTRAL TEXAS | Julie Rydell
Central Texas may not be known for showy fall foliage, but thanks to the recent cold fronts, it won’t be long before the leaves start to fade and begin to drop.
Deciduous trees reduce chlorophyll production in leaves when temperatures drop to 45 degrees.
Chlorophyll is the dark green pigment that is responsible for photosynthesis, which uses sunlight to make food for the tree. When the dark pigments fade, other pigments in the leaves like orange, yellow and red are able to show.
After they have taken in all the nutrients, they can form their leaves. Trees drop their leaves and begin winter dormancy. When left on the ground, the leaves start to break down and decompose. Insects and soil microbes consume the leaf compost and provide the soil with nutrients and minerals. At the base of the tree, the leaf compost provides nutrients conveniently at the tree’s roots, which it can use for spring growth.
Small creatures and critters depend on the mini ecosystems that leaf litter provides in the fall and winter.
Small lizards, caterpillars and various bees overwinter in the fallen leaves. Many moths disguise themselves as dried leaves and hide on the ground.
Fallen leaves are considered a nuisance to some, but leaves are a great resource for free mulch and organic material for your compost pile.
Leaves make great mulch for flower and vegetable beds, but also trees and shrubs.
Leaf mulch provides an extra layer of insulation that protects plants by maintaining soil temperatures to keep soil warmer in the winter. It improves soil fertility as it decomposes, and that reduces the need for extra fertilizer. Leaf mulch helps keep soil moist and reduces supplemental watering while suppressing weeds.
Leaves are perfect for adding to your compost pile. Compost piles need both brown and green plant material to break down efficiently. By storing your leaves next to your compost pile, you will have convenient access to brown material which is sometimes harder to come by in the summer.
Raking and bagging leaves isn’t necessary in most situations. If you don’t want to use leaves for mulch or you don’t need them for your compost pile, you can always just leave them in your yard and mow over them. The smaller particles will break down quickly and feed your lawn.
Most types of residential turfgrasses are very aggressive and form thick mats. Like the trees, these grasses also go dormant in the winter. Unless we have several months of wet weather and you have very dense layers of leaves on your lawn, then it is unlikely that your lawn will die.
If you decide to rake and bag your leaves, use compostable paper leaf bags.
Plastic garbage bags can take hundreds of years to decompose in a landfill. Landfills are anaerobic environments, which lack air once they are filled in. Oxygen is essential to decomposition.
Natural materials like leaves, grass clippings and kitchen scraps decompose very quickly when exposed to air and moisture.
Avoid sending bagged leaves to the landfill by offering them on social media.
Place only leaves in your leaf bags and place them at the curb. Many people will take your leaves for their gardens.
If you don’t have a compost pile at home, any time is a good time to start one. Keep highly compostable leaves out of the landfill and let nature turn it into wonderful compost for your garden.
With 25 years of backyard gardening experience, Julie is a plant and nature enthusiast. She lives in Taylor and hosts the “Plow & Hose Organic Gardening in Central Texas” podcast and radio show that airs on KBSR, Black Sparrow Radio, every Saturday and Sunday at 9 a.m.
